US1976170A - Knee rest - Google Patents

Description

06%. 9, 1934. w HOOVER r AL 1,976,170

KNEE REST Filed Oct; 28, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ga i.

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SYWWS I George WHooVer Louis L. la/ooof, M

Patented Oct. 9, 1934 'LUNITED :sraaras EEREST George W. Hoover and Louis L. 'Wood,

Washington, D. C.

Application October 28, 1933, Serial No. 695,708

2 Claims.

This invention relates to knee rests.

It is an object of the invention to provide a resilient rest for the knees of persons while occupied in Work requiring a kneeling position, such as the .L 5 scrubbing or waxing of floors, the laying of carpets and other similar occupations which can only be satisfactorily executed in such a position.

It is another object of the invention to provide a knee rest which will be light in weight and easy to carry from one work position to another.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a knee rest capable of being moved over the floor with great ease, and which, when in use, will grip the floor and prevent unnecessary sliding of the rest with resultant strain on the user thereof.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from an inspection of the accompany drawings and as set forth in greater detail in the following specification.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the rest constructed to embody one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the device.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the rest.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the numeral 1 indicates the base of the rest, which may be made of a single piece of rectangular shaped wood, metal, or any other suitable material. Mounted on the base and preferably securely fastened thereto is a pad 2 which, in this instance, is shown as made of sponge rubber. However, it will be understood that this pad may be made of any suitable material which will act as a cushioning element for the knees of the user. The pad is preferably of a length and width less than that of the base 1, but the same can be, if desired, made to cover the entire top of the base or any part of the base most suitable.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, there are disposed at the front underside of the base a series of movement control elements or braking blocks 3 of hard material having a rounded edge for contact with the floor. As there illustrated only two such braking elements are employed, one near each side of the base. However, it is to be understood that any other suitable number of blocks may be used which will, when pressed against the floor by the weight of the user, act to stay unnecessary movement of the rest.

The movement control elements 3 are constantly in engagement with the floor in order to keep the rest from sliding around in every direction by the least movement of the operator, a serious objection found in other rests of this general character.

Also on the underside of the base 1 and near the back portion thereof, are secured a pair of casters here shown as of the ball bearing type, which will give the apparatus the necessary freedom of move-:= ment when the user desires to shift his or her position on the floor. It will be noted that the casters 4 are of a height greater than that of the movement control elements 3, so that when the rest is placed on the floor, the base portion is always slanting towards the front or movement controlled end. In this way, when the user places his knees on the pad2, it throws his body in the position which he would naturally assume in treating floors. The weight of the body is thus placed one. the end having the movement control elements which will act to hold the device securely to the floor and prevent undue sliding thereof. When the user desires to change his position, he merely straightens up without getting ofi the rest, there-r180 by transferring his weight from the front controlled or snubbed end to the freely movable rear end. Then, by a slight movement of the users feet or hands, he can change his position to any other portion of the floor requiring attention.

In order that the device may be conveniently carried from one room to another, the same is provided with a hand-hold 5. This hand-hold is shown as arranged at the rear end of the base, but it is to be understood the same can be placedegfl at either side or end.

In practice, it has been observed that certain users find it more desirable to have the elevated freely movable end of the apparatus at the front, and the lowered braking portion at the back. A5195 device built in accordance with this arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. There, the base 6 is provided with a cushioning element 7, ball bearing casters 8 and movement control elements or braking blocks 9, said casters being of a height;:l00 greater than that of the braking blocks. A handhold 10 is formed at the rear end of the base, but it will be understood that the same can be placed at either end or side of the apparatus.

The operation of the device will be apparent-J05 from the foregoing description, but it is to be understood that more or less variation of the exact details of construction is possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. With the employment of this improved apparatus, the user:;:=. l l0 is entirely free from danger of accidental shipping and, at the same time, is provided with a soft cushioning device whereby floors may be scrubbed or otherwise treated with great ease and in a much shorter space of time than has heretofore been possible. The device is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, and has a minimum of parts to get out of order.

What we claim is:

1. A knee rest for use in treating floors and the like comprising a base portion, a cushioning element disposed on the top of said base portion, projections of hard material having a rounded edge in constant contact with the floor surface and secured at one end of the underneath portion of the base, and casters secured at the 0pposite underneath portion of said base, said casters being of a height greater than that of the projections.

2. A knee rest for use in treating floors and the like comprising a base portion, a cushioning element disposed on the top of said base portion, projections of hard material having a rounded edge in constant contact with the floor surface and secured at one end of the underneath portion of the base, casters secured at the opposite underneath portion of said base, and a hand hold provided in one end of said base portion, said projections being of a height less than that of the casters and in constant engagement with the floor surface.

GEORGE W. HOOVER. LOUIS L. WOOD.

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